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I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)
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<blockquote data-quote="Alzrius" data-source="post: 8142335" data-attributes="member: 8461"><p>I'm having a hard time remembering why I didn't like this, but I distinctly recall that I didn't. Or at least, I didn't like what little I read, because I know I got through at least one or two chapters (I distinctly recall the opening scene where the invasion ships are sailing, and when they start to panic at the sight of Evermeet's defenses, a mysterious cloaked figure emerges and tells them to relax, because he has a certain hostage) and then put it down. And I'll admit that opening scene certainly <em>sounds</em> cool in recollection, so I'm not sure why I read it and said "meh." I want to say that there's something about Cunningham's writing that put me off (as I've mentioned before), but I'm not certain now.</p><p></p><p>Having said that, I think that this was the book that laid the seeds (or at least, explicitly confirmed them) for a lot of dissatisfaction between how elves in the Realms (and possibly most of D&D as a whole) were <em>described</em> versus how they were <em>portrayed</em>. While I'm less than enthusiastic about the push to decouple alignment from generalized presentations of demihumans/humanoids, I can admit that what's in this novel makes a good case for doing so.</p><p></p><p>Simply put, these elves don't come across as the Chaotic Good people we're told elves are.</p><p></p><p>Your bog-standard D&D elves are described as being, essentially, people who live to appreciate the sublime beauty of an art being taken to its apex. Uncaring of material gains or the pursuit of power (even though they come into both as unintended consequences of their pursuits), they instead find fulfillment in the appreciation of what most delights their senses. They're the ultimate aesthetes, in other words, and their interactions with the grimier practicalities of life are largely the consequences of other, less enlightened races intruding upon their domains. It's easy to see that as them being Chaotic Good exemplars.</p><p></p><p>However, the presentation of elves in <em>Evermeet</em> and similar works puts a markedly different spin on them. Here, the "race in decline" theme is sharply highlighted, as is the effect that it's having on elven society. While not presented as being universal, there's a highly defensive mindset present in elven culture now, a sense of "we've already lost so much, we have to protect what's left!" that's oftentimes taken to extremes, particularly since this sense of loss is typically attributed directly to the actions of other races. The result is that traditionalism, isolationism, prejudice, and sometimes even outright malice seem to be near-essential components of elven society. Needless to say, that's a hardcore Lawful Neutral at best, Lawful Evil at worst.</p><p></p><p>All of which is to say, I should probably go back and give this book another chance at some point.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Alzrius, post: 8142335, member: 8461"] I'm having a hard time remembering why I didn't like this, but I distinctly recall that I didn't. Or at least, I didn't like what little I read, because I know I got through at least one or two chapters (I distinctly recall the opening scene where the invasion ships are sailing, and when they start to panic at the sight of Evermeet's defenses, a mysterious cloaked figure emerges and tells them to relax, because he has a certain hostage) and then put it down. And I'll admit that opening scene certainly [I]sounds[/I] cool in recollection, so I'm not sure why I read it and said "meh." I want to say that there's something about Cunningham's writing that put me off (as I've mentioned before), but I'm not certain now. Having said that, I think that this was the book that laid the seeds (or at least, explicitly confirmed them) for a lot of dissatisfaction between how elves in the Realms (and possibly most of D&D as a whole) were [I]described[/I] versus how they were [I]portrayed[/I]. While I'm less than enthusiastic about the push to decouple alignment from generalized presentations of demihumans/humanoids, I can admit that what's in this novel makes a good case for doing so. Simply put, these elves don't come across as the Chaotic Good people we're told elves are. Your bog-standard D&D elves are described as being, essentially, people who live to appreciate the sublime beauty of an art being taken to its apex. Uncaring of material gains or the pursuit of power (even though they come into both as unintended consequences of their pursuits), they instead find fulfillment in the appreciation of what most delights their senses. They're the ultimate aesthetes, in other words, and their interactions with the grimier practicalities of life are largely the consequences of other, less enlightened races intruding upon their domains. It's easy to see that as them being Chaotic Good exemplars. However, the presentation of elves in [I]Evermeet[/I] and similar works puts a markedly different spin on them. Here, the "race in decline" theme is sharply highlighted, as is the effect that it's having on elven society. While not presented as being universal, there's a highly defensive mindset present in elven culture now, a sense of "we've already lost so much, we have to protect what's left!" that's oftentimes taken to extremes, particularly since this sense of loss is typically attributed directly to the actions of other races. The result is that traditionalism, isolationism, prejudice, and sometimes even outright malice seem to be near-essential components of elven society. Needless to say, that's a hardcore Lawful Neutral at best, Lawful Evil at worst. All of which is to say, I should probably go back and give this book another chance at some point. [/QUOTE]
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I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)
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